The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-04-16
TRIESTE.
The Corso. Canal md citadel Of Austrls's
One Important Seaport

One Iuportane Seaport
Trieste is far from being intrinsically
the most interesting city in Europe.
The high hills that cluster about it APP
pear to be trying to crowd it into the
Adriatic. but it clings closely to the
narrow strip Of level ground along the
waters edge, expands up tho steep hill
sides and thrusts its streets. like ten
drills, up the n or two valleys that
give gradual access to the highlands
behind it. Up the main valley extends
4 sort Of broad canal or port, and runs
the Corso, the principal but not very
handsome business thoroughfare of the
city. Near the end of the G orso begins
long avenue 50 with several rows of
trees and called Galley" like those at
Marseilles, but it is less shady and
handsome. Here the whole population
of the city OH all the pleasa mt
evenings of the year and passes up and
down along its mile or more of length.
or goes on beyond into the Bor-
chetti, the wooded park that stretches
far up one of the broad hillsides. Near
by the grand alley, which has some
well-patronized cafes, where very good
music can be heard, is a public garden
moderately well kept, and not far off
the Piazzetta Ricardo-that is. Little
Place Richard'-because. so says the
popular legend. in a building adjoin-
ing it, Richard the Lion Heart was first
imprisoned after his capture on his re-
turn from Palestine by the treacherous
Duke of Austria. 1t is not presumed
to be the one where Blondcl found him.
The story is perhaps true. If it is not
it gives a not disagreeablc fill-up to
the imagination IN a city where life
stagnates just a little. There is an
other personal "Reminiscences of quite a
different kind. Fouche, the famous
Minister of Police of Napoleon, died
here in 1920, and his ashes repose I'M
der a slab in the old Cathedral Santo
Giusto.
Along the canals there are signs of
life, and also near the quays, which
reach out their molcs like teeth or
hooks encircling placid bits of water.
Along them arc some public places,
surrounded by hotels and cafes, and
near by are streets containing some of
the handsomest shops, in which one Oft
en- hears German spoken. The tide of
German M has reached and
partially overfown Trieste. But the
personal types are Italian. and often
very handsome, aud the language that
one hears in the streets and cafes is
the soft southern tongue. 1t seems a
great pity that a town purely italian
should be Austrian-that Italy can not
have her own. To the left as you 90
up the Corso lies what's called the new
city: to the right the older and more
crooked quarters, which, if they
fail to interest the ordinary trav-
eler, are old enough to satisfy
the most eSscting antiquarian. To
penetrate this quarter you begin to
climb almost ut the waters edge, and
wind slowly up to the cathedral through
narrow streets, lined with ancient
houses and shops selling all sorts of
denominations. In time and after much
WEAKNESS you emerge on the cathedral
terro esplanado. whence you have a
superb view Of cloudless sky and tran
quill sea, When told that the annual
movement Of the port is $4,000 ships,
you naturally wonder that you see
none arriving o l. departing, not ever y
sail to vary the monotony of the vast
expanse OF blue water stretching away
to the southern horizon.
Near the cathedral is the citadel,
but the guard at the gate thinks you
had better not 60 in, so you take q
second look at the church front. 1t
is antique and queer, and among
the decorations of the facade
are three bronze busts of bishops, with
six ancient busts coming from old
Roman tombs-a strange blending of
heathcnism and Christianity. An
quities are not wanting at Trieste, such
as they art. There is a museum full
of them. and there is an ancient arch.
but whether it is one intended to cele-
brate a triumph Of Roman arms or
helped support an aqueduct, the an
tiquarians have not yet made up their
minds. The Emperor has a palace
here and comes occasionally. He has
a choice of climate in his dominions,
the extremes being represented by the
heights Of the Tyrol and the shores of
the Mediterranean. The people of
Trieste bear Austrian rule patiently.
1t is a long time since they knew any
other. They were never a part of
United Italy. albert Subtitle, in San